OU Softball: Kelly Maxwell Tosses Oklahoma's First No-Hitter of 2024 Against Tarleton State
NORMAN — A strong finish propelled Oklahoma past Tarleton State in the first game of a double-header on Tuesday.
The top-ranked Sooners put up five runs in the fifth inning to run-rule the Texans 8-0 at Love’s Field.
OU pitcher Kelly Maxwell was an error away from a perfect game in the five innings of work, striking out seven of the 16 batters she faced.
Maxwell’s no-hitter was the first of 2024 for the Sooners, and it was her fifth of her career.
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"It’s feeling good," Maxwell said Tuesday night. "I feel like I’ve worked really hard with Coach (Jennifer) Rocha lately. I’m really trying to nail down her philosophy and I think it’s kind of showing.
"It’s getting easy, kind of learning what she’s taught. So it’s just cool to see kind of everything fall into place."
With Maxwell rocking in the circle, Oklahoma (23-1) fans didn’t have to wait long for the offensive fireworks to start.
Leadoff hitter Jayda Coleman rocketed the first pitch she saw to left-center field, putting the Sooners on top 1-0.
Kasidi Pickering and Alyssa Brito drew back-to-back walks, adding stress on Tarleton State (12-14) starting pitcher Alexa Rehmeier.
The right-hander threw a ball into the dirt, allowing each runner to advance on base, but then catcher Kalyn Hill committed a crucial error. She threw down to second base, trying to pick the advancing Brito off at second base, but she missed her target and tossed the ball into center field.
Pickering scored on the error and Brito moved over to third base.
Cydney Sanders didn’t hammer her seventh home run of the month, but she did hit the ball deep enough to left field for Brito to tag up and score, extending the lead to 3-0 after the first inning.
But then the offense dried up.
Oklahoma stranded one runner in the second inning and a pair in the second, and the Texans retired the Sooners in order in the fourth inning.
OU coach Patty Gasso acknowledged the team had to grow into Tuesday's first game.
"I don’t know that we were completely physically ready to play a doubleheader," she said. "It’s a lot. It’s standing around a lot. So I think we started off a little bit slow and then we finished strong."
Sanders got another chance to add to her home run tally in the fifth inning, and she delivered.
A walk drawn by Pickering and a Brito single merely added to Sanders’ RBI total as she drilled a two-strike delivery to right field, doubling Oklahoma’s lead.
True freshman Ella Parker pulled the game within one run of ending early with an RBI-double, scoring pinch-runner Maya Bland.
Catcher Riley Ludlam then drew a one-out walk to put runners on first and second for second baseman Alynah Torres.
Torres singled straight back up the middle, ending the game early.
Tiare Jennings also made a move in the record books during the contest.
The Sooner slugger doubled in the third inning, which drew her level with Lisa Carey on OU’s career doubles list at 56. Jennings is two doubles away from tying Sydney Romero’s record.
Oklahoma went on to win the second game of the day 12-1.
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